Ror-Shak is an electronic act, fronted by artist's DB ( www.djdb.com ) & Shaun Morris AKA Stakka ( www.cargoindustries.co.uk ). The forthcoming album "Deep" features guest vocals by Julee Cruise, Lisa Shaw, Chantal Claret, Wendy Starland and Mark Holmes.
Ror-Shak started out as a bit of an experiment. Stakka asked DB if he would like to collaborate on a track for a single? after a little resistance because of an extreme aversion to studio's due to frustrating experiences in the past, he agreed to give it a go.
Their first effort was a dancefloor tune called 'Groupies', signed & released by Breakbeat Science, its now long out of print & quite sought after.
The real success for DB was not the fact that the single sold out, but that the studio process was relatively painless & the results were wicked. He was so impressed with Stakka's studio ability, they quickly started making a follow up, but something was happening this time, the sound they kept being drawn to was not dancefloor drum & bass. It was a much more musical form of the genre. Going with their gut feeling, they decided to make something more for listening & not just dancing.
Both had been really inspired by Zero 7 & felt that should be the basic pallet to work from,
but they also took inspiration & sounds from a whole host of diverse artists that had rocked the duo's mind's, body's & soul's over the years.
Things took on even more of a 'real' record feel, when they nervously approached signer Julee Cruise, who they had sampled, asking her to listen & hopefully give her permission for the use.
Not only did she give her enthusiastic blessing, but offered to write some original material and to sing them on the album.
Ror-Shak's album 'Deep' is an exercise in taking an extreme musical form and turing it into something that regular music lovers find enjoyable and exciting, without even knowing its rooted in d&b, while not making it boring for the true heads.
With live musicians and singers guesting, such as Chantal Claret and Pedro Yanowitz from Moriningwood, Lisa Shaw and Mark Holmes, the album did end up taking over 12 months to make. Mostly due to Stakka's obsessive attention to detail, his efforts are really evident when listened to on headphones.
The name Ror-Shak is a play on the swiss psychiatrist Dr Rorschach, who devolved the ink blot test in which everybody sees something different. In Ror-Shak's case, everyone hears something unique, it's also a tip of the hat to Alan Moore for His Watchman character by the same name.
Ror-Shak - Deep (2007)
1. Lisa's Song - Feat. Lisa Shaw
2. Fate or Faith - Feat. Julee Cruise
3. A Forest - Feat. Chantel Claret
4. Golden Cage - Feat. Julee Cruise
5. Rescue Me - Feat. Wendy Starland
6. Interlude # 1
7. Be There
8. Love & Pride - Feat. Wendy Starland
9. Heist
10. I Don't Want (A Remake) - Feat. Julee Cruise
11. Window Pain - Feat. Julee Cruise
12. Trust (Alternative Mix) - Feat. Mark Holmes
Fate or Faith Video
Live artwork by Gordon Hull for Surface 2 Air. Directed by Jodi Terwilliger & Ror-Shak
Fate or faith what a crakin track--Stick a dirty little bassline in it press up some vinyl & send it to a few uk based D&B dj's & im pretty sure you would have a massive dancefloor hit on your hands.
Just bouncing through to say Happy New Year! It has been a while since I have come through to visit the page and all I can say is that I missed the hell out of Ror-Shak! I love the new music! You guys are awesome! I wish you guys continued success and I hope that all of your dreams become reality in 08 if they haven't already. ;)
I know I have been telling more people about Ror-Shak than 4?
On Blogspot.com you can list your favorite music. I have Ror-Shak listed 1st. Then you can click on it and see how many bloggers also like Ror-Shak and only 4 come up.
What the bleep... I was shocked. I told My DJ friend... "DJ Sun Dragon" to start playing Ror-Shak.
